The starting point of the international exhibition project “Mystery of Foreign Affairs” was the fate of the approximately 20,000 Mozambican contract workers, the so-called Madgermanes, who lived and worked in the GDR. Among other things, the exhibition deals with the life between two cultures and the struggle for justice, as the Madgermanes are still waiting in vain for their outstanding salary payments. At the same time the exhibition project explores, in a much broader context, the former and present relations between the continents of Europe and Africa.

The first part of the exhibition was shown at various locations in Schwerin under the title “Madgermanes – Mystery of Foreign Affairs” (17.09 – 28.11.2017). Artistic positions from Mozambique, Angola, South Africa and Germany gave an insight into the history of the exchange between Europe and Africa. Presented were works by the artists Iris Buchholz Chocolate and Katrin Michel which dealt intensively with the topic of the exchange relations of the GDR and the Madgermanes. Artists as Matias Ntundo and Gemuce however also ventured a look into the colonial past, while the works of Edson Chagas and Zanele Muholi were concerned with the present and the problems of stereotyping and cultural attribution.

The second part of the exhibition will open in Maputo on June 14th in the “Camões – Centro Cultural Português” and in the “Fortaleza de Maputo”. Thanks to the participation of Namibia, the exhibition could be extended by works that go back far into the history of German foreign policy, up to the German genocide of the Hereo and Nama in Namibia. TOWARDS MEMORY is a video and research project that was developed in collaboration with Namibian women, who as children were sent to the former GDR during the Namibian liberation and anti-apartheid struggle, starting 1979. The work “Namibia Today” recalls the temporary publication of the journal “Namibia Today” which was printed at the printing company Fortschritt in Erfurt in the GDR.

On display will be works by the artists Jorge Dias, Maimuna Adam, Gemuce, Dito Tembe, Luís Santos, Matias Ntundo, Iris Buchholz Chocolate, Edson Chagas, Laura Horelli, Katrin Michel and Katrin Winkler. By means of installations, painting, sculpture and video works, the artists show their perspective on the past and present relations between Africa and Europe, especially between Mozambique and Germany.